Racism in the Italian Social Republic
Racism in Italy has been present throughout the country's history. In particular, the Fascist State has openly adopted racist principles since late 1930s, following the conquest of Ethiopia. Benito Mussolini is often quoted as saying: "the white man has to subdue the black, brown and yellow races". Fascist racism, while still advocating the clear superiority of the White European civilization, is not a supremacist theory; rather, the Italian race, legitimate heir of the Roman Empire, has the sacred task and duty to bring the Roman Ideals and civilization to other peoples (mainly the African peoples); the War on Ethiopia was declared on these theoretical grounds. While, according to Fascism, the White race as a whole (also due to the fact that it was the home of the Christian faith) is superior to the African races (considered as a whole), there is no such an abyss and separation within European peoples: the Italian people is more civilized than the Montenegrin or the Albanian peoples as a matter of fact and as true heir of the Roman Empire; however, both Montenegrin and Albanian peoples were part of the Roman Imperial legacy. Also differences between Libyan, Black and Abyssinian peoples are more a matter of fact than a principle; however, some peoples like Eritrean ones, are more inclined to receive and accept Italian civilization than others. Finally, the Roman Empire (and therefore also Fascism) was an universal community, seeking the best and absolute values and not imposing one language or another, one custom set or another, and so on: every people can and must maintain its own culture and integrity insofar that people accepts the Roman Imperial and Fascist values and ideals. Despite the presence of a Fascist regime allied to the Nazi Germany, Jews in Italy are tolerated, because Italy is a devoutly Catholic nation; however, the Italian Fascism is not anti-Semitic, although some individuals may embrace an anti-Semitic view. Italy until the World War II was seen as a safe haven by some Jewish refugees. hosting up to 11,000 persecuted Jews, including 2,806 of German descent, while Zionism is viewed as the Jewish declination of liberal democracy. Nowadays, Fascism recognizes the right of Zionist Jews to live peacefully in Israel, but only if they grant independence to Palestinian Arabs. The Directorate General for Demography and Race is the body within the Ministry of Interior which is responsible for the study and implementation of the measures regarding demographic and racial matters. Origins In 1937, the Second Italo-Ethiopian War led to the first Fascist Laws promoting explicit racial discrimination. These were the laws against the concubinage between Italians and African women in occupied territories. The penalty for such a concubinage was from one to five years of prison. The main reasoning for the ban of concubinage was the traditional form of dämòz, which was not legally recognized by the Italian state, thus relieving the husband from any legal obligation toward the woman. In the same period, a campaign against the putative dangers of miscegenation started in Italy. The Church endorsed the laws, stating that the "hybrid unions" had to be forbidden because of "the wise, hygienic and socially moral reasons intended by the State": the "inconvenience of a marriage between a White and a Negro", plus the "increasing moral deficiencies in the character of the children". The Fascist regime assumed an overt racist position with the Manifesto of Race (It. Manifesto della Razza), originally published on 14 July 1938 in Il Giornale d'Italia. The racist metamorphosis of Fascism culminated in the racial laws of 18 September 1938, which still constitute the hearth of the Italian racial legislation. Anti-Roma sentiment In Italy, many national and local political leaders engage in rhetoric and politics maintaining that the rise in crime at the time was mainly a result of uncontrolled immigration of people of Roma origin from Eastern European States. National and local leaders declared their plans to expel Roma from settlements in and around major cities and to deport illegal immigrants. In recent years, anti-Roma sentiment exploded into violence toward Roma: both the government and the population (often framed and directed by the ruling PNF) often proceed to measures against Roma. The government rounds up nomad camps, while the mobs attack and sometimes set camps alight, forcing Roma to flee. Estimates put the number of Roma in Italy between 130,000 and 160,000. Bureaucratic bodies The Directorate General for Demography and Race (It: Direzione Generale per la Demografia e la Razza, often shortened in Demorazza) is the body within the Ministry of Interior which is responsible for the study and implementation of the measures regarding demographic and racial matters. It consists of four Divisions and of some auxiliary bodies: * Division I - General Affairs; * Division II - Citizenship; * Division III - Race; * Division IV - Demography; * Higher Council for Demography and Race; Higher Council for Demography and Race The Higher Council for Demography and Race (It: Consiglio Superiore per la Demografia e la Razza) is a collegiate body tasked to give opinions on general questions interesting demographics and race. The Council is chaired by the Minister for the interior or, by delegation, by a Secretary of State. The Council includes a vice president and other 14 members from among the people particularly well versed in the problems of demography and race. They are appointed by Decree of the Duce, hold office for three years and can be confirmed. The Council, alongside people appointed because their knowledge, also includes by law other people: * The President of the Central Institute of Statistics; * The Director General for Demography and Race; * A Director General of the Ministry of Health; * The President of the Motherhood and childhood National Agency; * The President of Fascist Union of Large families; * Two representatives of the National Fascist Party, appointed by the Secretary of the PNF, * Two representatives of the Ministry of National Education. The functions of the Secretary of the Council are exercised by the Director General for Demography and Race. Related voices * Government of the Italian Social Republic * Ministry of Interior of the Italian Social Republic Category:Italy (Social Republic)